Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to bowl first in the crucial second ODI against Australia at Adelaide Oval. The visitors face a must-win situation after trailing 0-1 in the three-match series.
Pakistan: (2/50 ov, T:164) 10/0
Pakistan's fast bowlers dominated throughout, with Haris Rauf claiming four wickets and Naseem Shah and Afridi each adding two. Zampa, despite resistance with two boundaries and a six, fell to Afridi’s pinpoint bowling. Naseem’s tight spell saw a highlight reel of near misses, including a dropped catch by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, which nearly set a world record for most dismissals by a keeper in an ODI.
Pakistan's relentless pace attack kept Australia on the back foot, leading to a historic low score and a significant victory for Pakistan in Adelaide.
Pakistan’s pace attack, led by Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah, dismantled Australia’s batting lineup in a dominant display at Adelaide. Rauf was exceptional, claiming four wickets for just 27 runs in six overs, while Naseem provided crucial support with a breakthrough, dismissing Mitchell Starc with his first wicket of the game.
By the 29th over, Australia had slumped to 131/8, as Pakistani bowlers exploited the conditions with precision and intensity. With wickets falling regularly, including five catches by Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan's bowlers have kept the pressure high, leaving Australia struggling to survive till the end of the innings.
The Pakistan squad maintains their previous lineup, showing confidence in the team despite their opening loss. Australia, however, strengthens their bowling attack by bringing in experienced pacer Josh Hazlewood to replace Sean Abbott.
Australian batting will rely on the dynamic opening pair of Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk, followed by the solid middle order featuring Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell. Pat Cummins leads the home team's bowling unit, supported by Mitchell Starc and spin specialist Adam Zampa.
For Pakistan, the batting responsibility rests on the shoulders of Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, and skipper Rizwan. The pace trio of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf aims to challenge Australia's batting lineup on the Adelaide pitch.
Playing XIs:
Australia: Short, Fraser-McGurk, Smith, Inglis (wk), Labuschagne, Maxwell, Hardie, Cummins (c), Starc, Zampa, Hazlewood
Pakistan: Shafique, Ayub, Azam, Rizwan (c & wk), Ghulam, Salman, Khan, Afridi, Shah, Rauf, Hasnain
A victory today would secure the series for Australia, while Pakistan needs to win to force a deciding third match. The Adelaide Oval's conditions promise an exciting battle between these cricket powerhouses.
